Coverage based demand response signals

Abstract

According to one or more aspects, demand response (DR) management for an electric vehicle (EV) may be provided as follows. A current location and a destination location for the EV may be received. A determination as to whether the EV is eligible to participate in a DR event may be made. A travel route from the current location to the destination location may be analyzed to determine whether it is associated with a non-coverage area where a telematics control unit (TCU) of the EV has limited connectivity with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) server. The DR signal may be transmitted as a DR request based on the EV having current coverage along the travel route and the EV travelling towards the non-coverage area such that an anticipated loss of signal or coverage may occur.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing demand response (DR) for an electric vehicle (EV), comprising:
 receiving a current location and a destination location for the EV; 
 determining whether the EV is eligible to participate in a DR event; 
 determining whether a travel route from the current location to the destination location is associated with a non-coverage area where a telematics control unit (TCU) of the EV has below a threshold level of connectivity with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) server such that the EV cannot receive a DR signal therefrom, the DR signal comprising DR information associated with the DR event; and 
 transmitting the DR signal as a DR request based on the EV being eligible to participate in the DR event, the EV having current coverage along the travel route, and the EV travelling towards the non-coverage area, wherein no DR signal is transmitted when the EV is travelling towards the non-coverage area and the EV is not eligible to participate in the DR event. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , comprising determining whether the EV is eligible to participate in the DR event based on one or more DR criteria. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , comprising determining a timing for transmitting the DR signal based on the current location of the EV and a location of the non-coverage area. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-coverage area is defined based on a signal strength threshold. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , comprising measuring a signal strength for the EV in relation to a network. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , comprising generating a coverage pattern associated with the EV based on the signal strength for the EV and the current location of the EV. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving a response to the DR request and storing the response. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DR information comprises a location, a date, a time, or a duration associated with the DR event. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving a verification indicative of participation in the DR event by the EV. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DR event comprises delaying charging of the EV. 
     
     
       11. A system for managing demand response (DR) for an electric vehicle (EV), comprising:
 a coverage module:
 receiving a current location and a destination location for the EV; and 
 determining whether a travel route from the current location to the destination location is associated with a non-coverage area where a telematics control unit (TCU) of the EV has limited connectivity with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) server such that the EV cannot receive a DR signal therefrom, 
 the DR signal comprising DR information associated with a DR event; and a DR module: 
 determining whether the EV is eligible to participate in the DR event; 
 transmitting the DR signal as a DR request based on the EV being eligible to participate in the DR event, the EV having current coverage along the travel route, and the EV travelling towards the non-coverage area, wherein no DR signal is transmitted when the EV is travelling towards the non-coverage area and the EV is not eligible to participate in the DR event. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the DR module determines a timing for transmitting the DR signal based on the current location of the EV and a location of the non-coverage area. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the coverage module receives a measured signal strength for the EV in relation to a network. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the coverage module generates a coverage pattern associated with the EV based on the signal strength and the current location of the EV. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the DR module receives a response to the DR request and stores the response. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the DR information comprises a location, a date, a time, or a duration associated with the DR event. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the DR module receives a verification indicative of participation in the DR event by the EV. 
     
     
       18. A method for managing demand response (DR) for an electric vehicle (EV), comprising:
 determining a current location and a destination location for the EV; and 
 receiving a DR signal as a DR request based on the EV being eligible to participate in a DR event, the EV having current coverage along a travel route from the current location to the destination location, and the EV travelling towards a non-coverage area where a telematics control unit (TCU) of the EV has limited connectivity with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) server, wherein no DR signal is received when the EV is travelling towards the non-coverage area and the EV is not eligible to participate in the DR event. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the non-coverage area is defined based on a signal strength threshold. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , comprising measuring a signal strength for the EV in relation to a network.